Tuesday, January 17, 2017

Sometimes the words you hear change... if not everything, then at least something. Sometimes that event you dragged yourself to even though you'd been running behind schedule all morning gives you exactly the inspiration you need. Sometimes a simple smile reminds you that you are not as alone as you think you are...

Yesterday was one of those days for me...I walked into Franchesca Ramsey's talk at Oregon State University a few minutes late without a clue what to expect. She spoke to a decent size crowd about activism as part of the celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day . As I listened to her speak, my mind began to wander in that way one's mind wanders when the words spoken spark a thought, inspire a new idea, and/or push one to think about one's own actions.Following Franchesca's talk, I joined the Peace March on campus which ended up being relatively quiet with a bit of singing and a bit of chanting but with many people just walking quietly. I began to wonder if perhaps people felt a bit meditative, or at least contemplative. I know I did, but I attempted to sing along (my apologies to the people marching within earshot.) We sang We Shall Overcome, Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around, and This Little Light of Mine. At the end of the Peace March, there was a short rally where a few more speakers spoke about the importance of unity, equality, and recognizing our role moving forward.

Of course through it all, there were many Dr. King quotes mentioned. Some people just have a way of saying and writing things that are timeless in their ability to inspire and encourage. Dr. King was certainly one of those people. Yesterday my thoughts kept going back to a few quotes over and over and over..."I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.""The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.""...Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that."I think these particular quotes resonated deeply with me because I try to live from a place of love, and lately I've been failing on that front. I've never been perfect at it, but the past few months I've felt so much fear, anxiety, and despair boiling just beneath the surface that I've found it hard to love in the face of people's hatred.

There seems to be a disconnect that allows people to preach hate one day and the next day praise those who have historically fought that very hate. It amazes me to witness and makes it hard for me to react to those people with love. People seem to forget that Dr. King and all those in the Civil Rights Movement faced resistance with every effort they made to gain the same rights as their oppressors. While we celebrate those marches now, they were met with hatred, violence, and cruelty when they happened. Those seeking change were told not to cause trouble and to go through official channels that time and again shut them down. Today we applaud their persistent efforts, but at that time those efforts were reviled and so were the people putting forth those efforts. It's easy now to look back and romanticize the struggle by focusing on the beautiful words and the outcome, but it's unfair to those who fought to do so. A large part of what makes the Civil Rights Movement the crowning achievement it is is how the protesters risked their safety, their livelihood, their very lives to draw attention to the inequality they faced.Yet, even as we now herald The Civil Rights Movement, far too many condemn those seeking equality and civil rights today... I wonder how many times we have to learn the same lessons before we finally understand that equality isn't a special privilege. When are we going to understand that just because someone gets the same rights as us doesn't mean we somehow lose ours? In fact, the more people experiencing rights, the more people can engage with the world around them to offer creative and unique solutions to the problems we all face. When we treat one another with compassion and kindness and humanity, we make the world a better place.We can never forget the struggle, but we don't have to keep repeating history. We can learn from history and make different choices. We can choose equality. We can choose compassion. We can choose love. Really... we can...

T. L. Cooper grew up on a farm in
Tollesboro, Kentucky. She earned a Bachelor of Science from Eastern Kentucky
University. Her poems, short stories,
articles, and essays have appeared online, in books, and in magazines. Her
published work includes a novel, All She Ever Wanted, five books of poetry, and a book of short stories. When
not writing, she enjoys yoga, golf, creating plant-based recipes, and traveling. Currently, she resides in
Albany, Oregon.

Wednesday, January 4, 2017

2017 has arrived. 2016 has ended. Life feels pretty much the same...For all the good in 2016 and for all the bad in 2016, the clock passing midnight on December 31st, 2016 once again wasn't actually a catalyst for change. I've never understand this notion that there's some kind of reset button that lets us start over each year. Life, or at least my life, doesn't work that way. Whatever I was dealing with on December 31st is still there when I wake up on January 1st. It doesn't resolve until I do the work to resolve it.I set goals, not necessarily yearly goals, but goals nonetheless. I work on my goals and change them as my schedule demands, and that means some years look better than others for accomplishments.As I look at 2017, I know what my projects are. I know what needs to be done. And while I'm disappointed I didn't publish any books in 2016, it's okay because I know where I'm at with my various projects. I will publish them when they're ready, hopefully that will be in 2017.

I also know that 2017 will have ups and downs and all arounds. People will die. People will be born. People will love. People will hate. Wars will be fought. People will proclaim they want peace while spreading the very hate that creates war. Politicians will lie. Promises will be made. Promises will be broken. People will lose jobs. People will find jobs. Corporations will buy politicians. Our water, earth, and air will be polluted. People will share half-truths and outright lies on social media. People will protest. People will acquiesce. People will fight. People

will argue. People will find everything they cherish about the lives they lead challenged. People will worry their loved ones will fall victim to someone's hate. People will fall victim to someone's hate. Murder will happen. Rape will happen. Violence will happen. Compassion will happen. Vengeance will happen. Forgiveness will happen. People will get married. People will get divorced. People will eat too much. People will starve. People will fight climate change. People will exacerbate climate change. Immigrants will immigrate. People will blame everyone except themselves for their mistakes. People will take responsibility. The rich will get richer on the backs of the middle class and the poor. People will stand up for those without a voice. People will fight for equality. People will pray, beg, plead, and bargain for more time. People will...

So as I look at 2017 and think forward to December when everyone starts making their lists about the best of and the worst of, I wonder if we'll care so much about going through the motions and honoring traditions yet again that we'll forget that 2017 will become 2018, and nothing will reset then either. You'll still be you. I'll still be me. We'll all still have challenges. The only time we make any difference is in the actions we choose every day of our lives... And, we have to decide. Each and every one of us has to decide. It is our choice. We have the power to choose. We have to decide what role we will play in society... Because inaction is deadly... Because inaction condones... Because inaction speaks more loudly than we know...

T. L. Cooper grew up on a farm in
Tollesboro, Kentucky. She earned a Bachelor of Science from Eastern Kentucky
University. Her poems, short stories,
articles, and essays have appeared online, in books, and in magazines. Her
published work includes a novel, All She Ever Wanted, five books of poetry, and a book of short stories. When
not writing, she enjoys yoga, golf, creating plant-based recipes, and traveling. Currently, she resides in
Albany, Oregon.

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T. L. Cooper grew up on a farm in
Tollesboro, Kentucky. She earned a Bachelor of Science from Eastern Kentucky
University. Her poems, short stories,
articles, and essays have appeared online, in books, and in magazines. Her
published work includes a novel, All She Ever Wanted, five books of poetry, and a book of short stories. When
not writing, she enjoys yoga, golf, creating plant-based recipes, and traveling. Currently, she resides in
Albany, Oregon.